Phantom Thief
by thelazyrose
Summary: The emergence of an Silver-Eyes transformation against Cinder leaves Ruby's life in disarray. Not only Salem is after Ruby, but Archbishop of Schicksal, Otto Apocalypse, has an increasing interest as well. Yae Sakura, a mysterious woman accompanies Ruby on this journey. With an unknown voice inside her head, Ruby has to unravel a past unknown. RubyCentric.
1. Chapter 1: Fight Inside

**Disclaimer** : I own Nothing.

 **Edit:** This story is now ordered under the crossover of RWBY x Honkai Impact 3rd, as I found out there's a category for it finally. The general story will take place in Remnant, but as the story unveils, you'll find that things have changed and that the world of Honkai Impact 3 has a big influence on the world as a whole. A thing I can say now is that the major antagonists will be Salem & her Grimm, as well as Otto & Honkai beasts. I can't tell too much right now, aside from the fact that Kallen will be a major driving force for Ruby too.

 **ASCENSION**

 **CHAPTER ONE: FIGHT INSIDE**

It had only lasted mere moments, but Ruby felt it. Something inside her had broken, and she'd felt a torrent of fiery rage begin pouring into her. Was it her spirit? Her sanity?

The Rose stood still, frozen in place with shock, as she saw Pyrrha's chest being pierced by an arrow, and before long, she began dissipating into dust. The murderous villain stood laughing above Pyrrha's disintegrating body, relishing in the other's pain. Seeing Cinder laugh only intensified the heat Ruby suddenly felt blooming in her heart.

"Cinder…" Ruby whispered through clenched teeth.

Yet the Fall Maiden wasn't satisfied, she intended on finishing all the other students of Beacon before disposing of the silver-eyed prodigy.

"If you think that your little friends can escape me, you're sadly mistaken." Cinder sneered, each word as toxic as poison. She extended a hand towards them—this time her gaze secured on the tall blond, who stood motionlessly by Nora and Ren's side.

"Jaune, look out!" Nora cried.

"This time you won't come back!" Snarled the Maiden of Fall.

Seconds later, Ruby watched helplessly as Cinder conjured up a big ball of fire, engulfing Jaune and silenced his screams for help by a terrible explosion, which sent Nora and Ren flying away. The fire raging inside of the Silver-Eyed Warrior exploded too, consuming her soul, and she gave into it. She never felt this way before. It tore through her, unlocking wave after wave of energy within her body. It gave her power.

It was more potent, more terrifying than mere anger. It was hatred.

Feeling this way sent new shockwaves of fear through the Warrior's heart. Ruby sensed the tremendous energy the hatred gave her rush through her veins, more powerful than the mightiest jolt of adrenaline. She felt her muscles bulge and grow to accommodate this new, forbidden strength. Her Aura became visible, whipping violently and shimmering with white light. Her vision blurred red, and a terrible scream tore from her throat.

"What?!" Cinder marveled as Ruby's transformation took place before her eyes. "She said the chance of this happening was zero; What is this?!"

Finally, the lone Warrior's figure stood tall, still and silent. Her new crimson eyes locked on the Fall Maiden, her white hair and aura in stark contrast to the ruins of Beacon's atmosphere and landscape. The power had overtaken her, and she had transformed into a different kind of warrior. It was something only legends of the far past spoke of, and Ruby realized this as Cinder's face contorted in fear.

"How? How did you get this incredible power? Don't tell me." The Fall Maiden cried out, her voice lightly trembling. "It's true, isn't it?"

Ruby didn't answer, she only responded with a silent stare that promised redemption for her fallen comrades and all others Cinder had killed. However, despite her stoic expression, the Warrior struggled with her own fears. There was more than just rage and hatred bubbling inside of her: A sudden feral bloodlust burst forth from the depths of her consciousness, and Ruby nearly lost of herself right there and then.

She quickly commanded the remaining team of JNPR and her own team to leave and escape with an airship. Whatever was about to happen to her, she knew it would be destructive and she didn't want to risk hurting anyone she cared about. Then she turned her attention back to Cinder.

"No more." Ruby demanded, as she saw Nora, Ren and co safely leave the battlefield. "Now you will now the horror, Cinder!"

A mighty roar gathered in the back of her throat, and when it forced its way from her lips, Ruby barely recognized her own voice. The sound was primal, full of loathing—it was the tattered remnants of what it had been before, and her soul was the same. Ruby thought one more time of the expression on Jaune and Pyrrha's faces when they had been killed and relived in her mind the screams of her friends as they disappeared before her eyes. Then she rocketed towards the Fall Maiden at mind-blowing speed, fully intent on seeking revenge.

The Rose no longer was aware of the passage of time; She was only aware of the enormous power that had taken hold of her body. Something had certainly happened to change her physically, but there was an equally terrible transformation threatening to take over her consciousness: The screams of the warriors inside of her ripped out of her throat, filled with insatiable brutality and commanded her fists and feet to lash out at unimaginable speeds and seek the most vulnerable targets on her opponent's body. It cried for freedom—for complete control over herself.

So far, Ruby had somehow managed to remain herself against this new, bloodthirsty fragment of her personality, just as she managed to gain the upper hand in the battle against Cinder. However, the flashes of bestial rage were growing stronger by the minute; they betrayed her intentions and slowly dominated over her restraint. To her horror, she found herself enjoying every crunch of Cinder's bones against her fist and relishing every cry of pain she could cause to a frightening degree. Every time she landed a punch or a kick, she felt giddy with anticipation of the next. It was intoxicating.

The two superpowers clashed again and again, their energy crackling in the air, exploding in fantastic spectacles of light and destruction. Ruby solidly landed a mighty punch to Cinder's face and sent the Fall Maiden spiraling downward into the ground. She formed a crater the side of a small building when she landed, but it didn't take more than a few seconds for the Maiden to recover and shoot back to face the Warrior. For a few moments, they traded words instead of blows.

"Why do you loathe what I've done so much?" Cinder inquired with a sick smirk crossing her battered face. "Huntsman are just as ruthless as I am. They are killers— all of them! And you have the gall to condemn what I've done. You and the entirety of Beacon!"

Ruby met the Fall Maiden's smirk with a detached scowl. "They paid for their mistakes!"

"Is that why they died?" Cinder's eyes—and her crazed smirk—widened. "I thought it was because I killed them."

Ruby struggled to maintain expressionless on the surface, when inside of Cinder's words were making her Warrior heart swell in rage. She was winning the battle with Cinder, but she was slowly losing the one she was fighting inside of her mind. The monster inside of her was slowly gaining ground, and she was being forced to relinquish hold of her body and mind to it.

"You're just a monster with no conscience." Ruby said, speaking more to herself than to the Maiden floating in front of her.

"So, I'm a monster, eh?" Ruby heard her words and laughed knowingly. "And what about you, Silver-Eyed Warrior? Aren't you just like me?"

 _No, no I'm not!_ A desperate voice cried from within Ruby, even as the bloodlust gained yet another hold on her conscious. _I'm good! I'm not going to become like her. I can't…_

Cinder watched intently as the Silver-Eyed Warrior stared back at her, her silence speaking volumes. "Guess the jury's still out on that one." Cinder sneered. "Let's just give it a little more time."

 _How does she know?_ Ruby thought. _Can she see the struggle I'm having inside? Has she seen it before?_

The Fall Maiden's stinging words bit deeply into Ruby, and she realized that she had to end this quickly, or she would certainly lose control. If that happened, she didn't know if she would ever regain it again. With a desperate shout, she threw herself back into the fight with everything she had. Cinder welcomed her assault, throwing an endless torrent of destructive energy blasts into Ruby's direction, but the Rose simply passed through them as fluidly as she would a pool of water.

Ruby landed another impressive series of blows, before she began to see red leak into her vision and realized another horrifying detail of her transformation: The fighting was helping the feral presence that had awoken inside of her gain more control. The more she fought, the more it fueled the bloodlust inside her. She had to stop, or she'd risk giving into the fearful manifestation. Ruby's Aura flared up, as she propelled herself away from the battered Fall Maiden. The two warriors sunk down from the tower, perched on some destroyed pillars of rock, and studied one another.

The Rose didn't understand what was happening to her, and she was made even more uneasy by Cinder's undying smirk. The Fall Maiden must have realized by now that Ruby had far surpassed her in power, but for some untold reason, that sadistic grin never left her face.

"You may be a filthy Huntress." Cinder began, wiping a thing rivulet of blood from her chin. "But you and I have much more in common than you realize, Ruby."

"Your evil deeds have become the noose around your neck, Cinder." Ruby replied, her every syllable dripping with disgust. "I'll never become like you."

"Oh really? Don't tell me you don't feel it." Cinder chuckled darkly, seemingly amused. "That deep-seeded rage—that bloodlust—inside of you? That's the trait of a Silver-Eyed Warrior."

Ruby's eyes widened slightly. Cinder did sense that something was happening to her.

"I've spent a lot of time around Warriors, you know." Cinder continued. "So, I know their nature. They're animals with a predatory instinct for preying on the weak. That's why there are such exceptional legends about them."

"You knew _her."_ Ruby remarked through clenched teeth. "And then you killed her without a thought, just like you did to Beacon! To all of Vale!"

"Of course, I did. It's in my nature to prey on the weak as well. The Hunters served their purpose, but they were learning, and I couldn't allow them to gain any more strength. Every rogue animal has to be put down eventually." Cinder snickered, her words tainted once again with poison. The Fall Maiden drew back a pointed palm, the energy she was summoning already gathering on it. It glowed with an angry orange Aura and the air around the glowing orb crackled and popped with heat. "Even you, Silver-Eyed Warrior!"

Screaming, Cinder whipped her palm towards the waiting Rose, sending the blast of light and energy rocketing towards her. Ruby watched as it traveled through the air at astonishing speed, aimed directly at her chest—but it was as if everything since she'd transformed was happening in slow motion. The words from their previous exchange were still churning in Ruby's head.

So, the sudden surge of bloodlust and the terrible force she felt swelling within her, attempting to overtake her mind and body, was a Silver-Eyes Quality? But she had silver-eyes her entire life, and she'd never struggled with this feeling. Why after over 16 years of living with a good-natured, content conscious, was this conflict erupting inside of her now? Again, panic gripped her, as she felt the monster inside gain more traction in its slow but steady takeover of her mind.

Just as Cinder's destructive wave was about to make contact, Ruby easily side-stepped, avoiding the destructive force and the dozen like it that quickly followed. Finally, Cinder's smirk was wiped clean and replaced with a crazed, furious grimace.

"Why can't I hit you?!" The Fall Maiden cried. "Nobody should be able to dodge my attacks!"

Ruby said nothing in response but continued to glare at the frustrated Fall. IT wasn't long, until Cinder once again adopted her sly grin, and she clasped her palms together, as if preparing to pray.

"I'll destroy what you hold dear." Sneered Cinder, and a blast of blood-orange energy exploded off the surface of her skin. "Either way, you'll never make it out of here alive!"

"We'll see about that." Ruby replied, her eyes narrowed.

Cinder's lips curled up further, revealing white teeth and blood leaking out from between them. With a grunt, she concentrated her energy and parted her palms. Ruby watched in awe as the orange Aura flaring around the Fall Maiden suddenly swirled and condensed between her hands. The result was a colossally powerful, shimmering orb of dark energy. As Cinder held it aloft with both hands, she gathered still more energy, feeding her creation. Crackling bundles of lightning began to flash around her and the air around the two warriors resonated with the immeasurable power of the glowing orb.

"I've figured out how to beat you." Cinder whispered, every word as cruel and cold as the stab of a knife. "You may have Ascended, and your power is amazing, but there's more to winning than that! Sometimes it's the smartest one who wins, not the strongest!"

Cinder's amber eyes lit up with a crazed vengeance, and she heaved the ball downwards, the energy in her hands erupting with sheer power. The blast rocketed towards the tower of Beacon's ground at a speed not even Ruby could surpass.

"Now say goodbye to Vale!" Cinder screamed. "Die, Kingdom, die!"

As she watched Cinder laugh at the sight of her creation ripping towards the Kingdom's core, Ruby remained struggled to contain her shock and a new, even more powerful wave of rage. So, Cinder had finally realized that she'd been outclassed, and her response was to destroy the both.

There was a huge shudder and a mighty groan from below as Cinder's attack contacted its target, boring deeply into the Kingdom's crust and throwing Vale's core into a downward spiral of destabilization. Columns of rock burst from the ground, spewing the molten core of the planet into the air and transforming the ruins into churning, molten stone. The Kingdom would be destroyed in a matter of minutes and so would everyone who remained on its surface.

"You fool!" Ruby shouted, her resolve to remain in control of her anger beginning to wane. "You would destroy an entire Kingdom just to make sure I don't win?!"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Cinder replied, her grin widening maniacally. "I didn't plan on killing myself, just you and the Kingdom. I have ways of getting away from here, and you can't. That means if the Kingdom goes, so will you. And I shall be victorious!"

The Rose glared back at the laughing Maiden. "You may destroy the Kingdom, but you can never destroy what I am, Cinder."

"Oh really?" Cinder said with mock interest. "And what is that?"

Ruby swallowed, as if the action would somehow suppress the monster inside her for a few more minutes. The ferocity had bubbled at the surface of her consciousness for so long and she'd been barely able to keep it from emerging. But she was beginning to see that her fight against this hidden part of herself was futile. Again, Ruby hid her fears behind an expressionless mask and powerful words. Every sentence she spoke took on a new meaning, as she tried to remember who she really was, as she struggled to reign in the burning hate that still scorched her soul, and as she gradually felt herself relinquish her control to the beast raging within her.

"I am Ruby Rose."

 _Or am I?_

"I am the one who will avenge her friends."

 _Do I really want to?_

"I am Beacon's last remaining fighter."

 _There are other's out there, aren't they?_

"I am the one who will make the world a better place."

 _Is that still possible?_

"I'm a Huntress."

 _I am a Rose._

Ruby paused and let out a hot breath as she heard the echoes of her voice hang in the air, marveling how much they differed from the whispers that were invading her mind. The hatred that had been fueling her increase in power, energy, and stamina through the entire battle continued to course through her, increasing with every pump of her heart. With it, a hidden personality bubbled up as if from the bottom of a darkened lake. It had been a part of her all along, ever since she'd been born.

 _I am a Silver-Eyed Warrior._

Her entire life, she'd only caught brief glimpses of her Warrior tendencies through the murky water of her consciousness. It was this part of her that had emerged whenever she was during fighting Grimm. It understood only rage and it sought only to destroy. Now this very same monster was trying to overcome her as she underwent a transformation, and despite her most valiant mental efforts, it was succeeding. The massive savage presence, with its equally terrible degree of power, was simmering just underneath the surface of her control.

"I'm a Silver-Eyed Warrior." She whispered, feeling the dark light creep further into her head.

Cinder's eyes grew wide as she felt the power of the warrior floating before her increase to astronomical heights. "What is this?!" She cried, unbelieving of the spectacle.

Ruby screamed, her throat feeling as if it were about to tear apart from the strain. She was giving in, she realized. The ugly head of the beast within was cracking through her resolve and she was helpless to stop it. But she had resisted her true nature much too long and it had come back with a powerful vengeance and an equal penchant for blood.

She was out of options, and she was tired of fighting a battle that it was clear she was about to lose. The warrior felt one more scream rip through her, before she finally surrendered. The beast and the power that it commanded surged forward, merging with her consciousness, turning the Prodigy into an entirely different kind of monster.

"I'm a Silver-Eyed Warrior!" Ruby suddenly screamed, her voice dripping out of her throat with the power of a deity. "And I am your worst nightmare, Cinder!"

 _ **Author's Note:** This story was born out of my desire to do a few things: 1. To challenge me and help me improve my characterization skills and 2. to give some development to someone who currently has very little development - Ruby Rose. I'm going to take some artistic liberties with her characterization in this story, as the main conflict arises when her Warrior tendencies resurface for the first time with her silver-eyes, while she struggles to adapt. That being said, this will not be a naive/innocent Ruby story. She's going to have a transformation of the mind as well as of the body, and she's going to feel some light angst, and she's going to make some really, really horrible mistakes. _


	2. Chapter 2: Never Be The Same

**Disclaimer** : I own Nothing.

 **ASCENSION**

 **CHAPTER TWO: NEVER BE THE SAME**

The Silver-Eyed Warrior had utterly triumphed over her enemy. Even when Cinder had admitted to holding back her ultimate power, and exploded with torrents of new energy, there was no contest. She had supremacy and she held Cinder's very life in her hands.

It had been fun to toy with the Fall Maiden, while she reacted again and again with surprise as the Silver-Eyed Warrior continuously reached into the immeasurable depths of power she possessed. She'd batted Cinder around like she was a doll, she'd mocked her so-called _ultimate power_ , and she'd done everything else she could think of to cause the villain physical and mental anguish.

But throughout it all, the Rose had been plagued by one thing: The remnants of her former self calling out to her from somewhere in her consciousness and begging that she show mercy towards her enemy. It had been easy to ignore-along with the constant ringing of her scroll. One message she saw flash by was from her teammate Weiss, to bring her to safety outside of the falling Kingdom. But safety wasn't something the Warrior wanted-she wanted more time with her, victim-so she'd outright refused to even answer. She shut them all out.

Now Cinder was face down in the broken stone, beaten nearly to death with her life bleeding out in pools around her. As she stared down at her enemy, the Rose again felt the familiar sentimental tugs on her conscious. The Rose she had been before her transformation had been merciful and foolish and was trying to persuade her to be the same way. The Rose ignored the desperate pleas just as she had beforehand. But unlike the scroll messages, this one would not relent. It fought its way further towards the surface of her mind, its cries growing louder and louder. They had to share their power, and this personality was trying to regain the control that had been stolen from her. Despite the power she had held over the other half for the last few minutes, the Warrior felt her control slip, and her emotions began to affect her once again. For several minutes she struggled, unsure of what to do next.

One part of her wanted to walk away-the work was done, and the Kingdom's explosive destruction would end Cinder's life for her. But another part of her screamed to kill the disgraced, broken Fall Maiden at her feet-and not out of mercy. It wanted to kill for the sake of killing, without regard for compassion or any other irrational emotion. Still another part of her was horrified by the conflict that was emerging from inside of her.

Finally, after she thought she'd been caught in a deadlock forever, the Rose resolved to turn and walk away...that was until the Fall Maiden began begging for her life.

"Please, help me...I beg of you..." Pleaded Cinder, her voice a mangled whisper. "Don't...don't leave me to die like this! Have mercy on me. You can't do this!"

The Warrior whirled around to face the woman on the ground, rage flashing her newly-crimson eyes.

"How many people asked you for mercy? A few? Tens? Hundreds?" She shouted, the power having shifted momentarily towards her more sentimental side.

Cinder gave no response. Instead she grew still and silent, but the Rose could still barely hear her weakened, wheezing breaths over the din of the Kingdom disintegrating around them. Another flood of hateful darkness crept into the Rose's head and heart.

"What gives you the right to expect any mercy?" She asked, an air of cruelty punctuating each syllable. "Especially from a Silver-Eyed Warrior?"

The Rose didn't know why, but she raised her arm towards Cinder and presented her with a glowing palm, a bright spot of fresh energy pulsing between her fingers. She didn't know why she could do this or why, but it felt familiar, as if she done this before.

Then the Fall Maiden cracked her eyes open, glancing up hopefully at the point of light. However, the former Villain's pathetic expression was quickly extinguished when the glowing orb in her opponent's palm transformed into a torrential, angry ball of red energy. Cinder's eyes grew wide and round as she looked upon the last image she would likely have in her life; The Rose's stoic face betrayed no part of the inner conflict that continued erupting inside her.

She could help the pitiful maiden, she knew. She could give her just enough aura to survive and then leave. What happened afterwards would not be her concern. She could show the slightest trace of mercy...but that would be against her Warrior nature.

The sizzling ball of energy grew exponentially brighter in her hand, flaring with more than enough power to wipe Cinder's existence from the planet. A smile crept up on the Rose's face, no matter how hard she tried to repress it. She had killed some goons before, but only when her hand had been forced and she'd never enjoyed it. But this...this she was neither forced to do, nor would she cease to revel in the moment.

She would enjoy killing Cinder.

The same sentimental, frantic part of Ruby's mind screamed at her to stop, that the way she was acting-the way she was feeling-was totally against everything she'd ever stood for. But it was merely a voice, and it was drowned out quickly by the Fall Maiden's last scream as the energy from her hand surged forward, vaporizing her where she lay.

* * *

When she awoke, she was herself again, and the memories of what she had done In Beacon plagued her like a festering sore that refused to heal. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw herself destroying Cinder with a mighty blast of energy-and enjoying it. The thought that she'd felt so much pleasure in taking a life was enough to make the Rose sick to her stomach, which she emptied on the forest grounds of the Forever falls.

Ruby shivered, the cold from the night leaking into her clothing, yet she kept running into to an unknown destination. She vaguely remembered rushing to find some way to escape the Kingdom after she had destroyed her enemy, and she recalled that the small airship was one of the few things she'd found that was still operational. The Rose barely managed to clear the massive explosion of the academy's core, but the explosion had slung the ship to the Forever Falls, which Ruby herself barely managed to survive.

She secretly prayed that she'd find some place without any inhabitants, so she could stew in her thoughts for a while.

The transformation had done more than change her-it had shaken her to the core, demolished the pillars of morality on which she'd stood her entire life, and made her future a dark uncertainty. It had unlocked a hidden power, but along with it came a monster with such drive and destructive force that its frightened Ruby more than she could have ever imagined. Even now, the Rose felt the darker presence within her, lying dormant until the next threat appeared. She'd already tried to deny that it was there, but she was simply fooling herself. The beast was crawling underneath her skin and it wasn't likely that it would go away soon.

Ruby realized the danger she posed to her friends and family with this newfound, terrifying manifestation lurking in the depths of her consciousness. She couldn't put them in danger, and she couldn't allow them to see the horrifying monster she'd become.

She couldn't go home.

The Warrior glanced ahead, a tiny clearing in front of her, and watched the stars in the sky. The blackened night around her was cold and lonely and she wished she could shed her anguish like a skin and go back to the warmth and comfort of Beacon. She wanted Yang to hold her in her arms, to tell her how proud she was of Ruby, and to marvel at how strong she'd become. She wanted to taste her father's cooking, to hug her Uncle Qrow and hear him rave and tell some of his stories. She wanted to be content, she wanted life to be simple again.

But her Ascended Warrior transformation had broken her spirit into a thousand jagged pieces, and she was left to struggle with trying to put them back together again. However, she tried to repress the truth, Ruby intuitively knew her life would never be the same.

She would never be the same.

That was her only comfort, and her only certainty, as she kept walking among the cold, night-filled forest.

Perhaps it was better to never return to Patch, she decided. That way, her family and friends could live out the rest of their lives in peace, and they would remember her as a hero-instead of a distorted fragment of her former self.

 **WEISS**

As she leaned her head against the soft bed of her room's window, Weiss gazed thoughtfully up at the night sky. The void above her was like a canvas that covered with the blackest ink and sprinkled with a scattering of twinkling diamonds. The girl sighed, absentmindedly counting each sparkling dot in her head and wondering where her team was.

It had been nearly a month since she'd been escorted from Beacon by her father. Then Ruby had appeared, saving them all. Her heroism was one of Weiss' only salve she could apply to the emotional pain she felt at the thought of her team. She didn't understand why Ruby-the famed prodigy of Beacon and her partner-had refused to be rescued.

It had weeks ago that she and her friends fought to reclaim Beacon from the Grimm invasion. She still remembered the feeling of her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach when she had only received a short message from Ruby. A simplistic _no_ , nothing else attached. At the very least this gave Weiss some hope that the Rose hadn't died, and she was somewhere.

Where, Weiss didn't know, but she opted to find out sometime soon.

Weiss felt the corners of her mouth curve into an unpleasant frown at the thought. What if her partner did not want to come back? Didn't she want to see her team? Her friends and family? Then Weiss' frown deepened, as she realized that with her being brought back to Atlas for, as her father put it, _safety measures_ , their team was in shambles. She didn't know Yang's status, neither of Blake and with Ruby nowhere to be found, this very well may end up spelling the end of team RWBY.

For now, she took warmth in the thought that they'd be reunited in the end, no matter what...she'd make it happen, somehow.

 _ **-A MONTH LATER-**_

 **RUBY**

 _Breathe in..._

Ruby saw within herself, seeking out the part in her that she wanted to conquer. She didn't have to dig deep, for the beast inside of her had only retreated into the darkness that lingered at the ragged edges of her conscience. She knew for certain now that it was the Ascended Warrior transformation that had triggered its awakening, because she'd tried to transform again a month later in an uninhabited forest.

 _Breathe out..._

When she'd awoken again from the rage-filled haze, the forest had been completely obliterated. Not in the sense that she'd decimated its surface-it simply ceased to exist. Again, she didn't quite remember how she'd gotten out of the great wasteland of the former forest, she simply attributed it to the monster's instinct of self-preservation.

 _Breathe in..._

The Rose remembered a far off, naive time in her life where she'd looked up at the night sky, at the broken moon and wondered what it must be like to explore the endless lands of Remnant. She now understood that the moon had a meaning. To her the meaning was her psyche. It represented into how many pieces her former self had been shattered, and the nothingness surrounding the broken moon sucked out the energy from even the hardiest of personalities.

It had taken mere days of boredom and loneliness to consume her as she traveled through the landscapes, but she resisted the temptation to seek out a village, for shelter and the likes, and she'd completely forbidden herself from even thinking about returning to Patch. Even turning off away the offer of Weiss with a _no_ , and afterwards turned her scroll off, as she didn't want to be located. She knew her friends and family would be devastated to find out that she didn't want to return to her home, but Ruby knew it had to be as such.

It was better this way.

 _Breathe out..._

Eventually, she'd come across a small, hidden village standing in a lazy, slow arch around a tray of mountains, and went there to search for food and water. Ruby had been surprised to find that the village had both Faunus and humans living in it, and the inhabitants were sophisticated enough, with a small government and the likes. They even understood how to harness and use Aura in the same way Huntresses and Hunters did. The village was called Tardray.

 _Breathe in…_

Despite her knowledge of the danger her presence posed to the village, Ruby hadn't been able to resist remaining in a village with life and no trace of loneliness. The inhabitants were kind to her: They had granted her immediate shelter, showered her with food (which she gratefully devoured in copious quantities), and offered to teach her their ways. Wise and philosophical, though not physically strong, the inhabitants could manipulate Aura in extraordinary ways.

 _Breathe out…_

Meditation was another thing the Villagers had impressed upon her; however, this was a skill that Ruby was struggling with. She'd mastered focusing on her breathing quickly enough, but she couldn't clear her mind. Every time she thought she'd gotten close; her fears would swoop in and shatter the calm. She was simply too frightened of what had happened on Vale to move on, despite it having been nearly a month since the terrible events. Today, Ruby was determined to make it past her terror-to beat the monster inside-and achiever inner tranquility.

 _Breathe in…_

Today it was the same. The fear striking from within that would interrupt her mediation, making Ruby's eye snap open, and she exhaled the slow breath she'd just taken in.

It was slowly progressing, but for someone like Ruby, whose life had been nothing but quick, especially with her speed Semblance, the progress was too slow. Painfully slow, to the point that Ruby had decided to stop the exercise and think about what she wanted to do now.

"Let's see." Ruby spoke to herself, being in a secluded room, so it didn't make her seem insane, as she used this as another way to relax. She took out her scroll, having had one of the villagers take out the tracking chip and leaving Ruby with a functional scroll to collect her thoughts in.

"I-The CCT system is down. Beacon...no the entirety of Vale is in ruins." the next few parts had her voice shaky, yet somehow steady enough. "Pyrrha and Jaune...they're dead. Their families don't know...I'll have to go and tell them." So, her first point of action would be to go to Mistral and tell Pyrrha's family, her second point would be to find out where the Arc Family lived, travel there and tell them as well.

"Easier said than done." Ruby grumbled, her cheerful voice being far quieter and more subdued. She had changed, she knew it, and she didn't know if she could force herself to sound cheery again.

"Next point of action would be to find out where Cinder and her plans came from...Why they did such a horrible thing." And the very next thing, she had in the back of her head the entire time, and shakily wrote it into the scroll, as she said it out-loud.

"F-Find out where my silver-eyes originate from and why that...that transformation and-monster are a thing now." After that, Ruby pocketed her scroll, moving back to her bed and deciding to take a rest for now.

The next few months would be taxing on her, as she was alone, having cut herself off from everyone she knew. In an ironic sense, it filled her with excitement, as she could go and explore Beacon.

Yet another part was anxious, would she survive and make it to her objectives? Would the Grimm be even more vicious than before?

No one, not even herself, would know the answer the future held.

 **Author's Notes:** _As you can see, our young Rose is already during preparing for her big journey. She'll try her best to avoid her friends and uncover the secrets of the Silver-Eyed, all while also trying to juggle the responsibilities of her new power and to uncover the conspiracy that will quake all of Remnant to its roots. {From Salem I mean.} Either way or another, this fanfic is very Ruby-centric, but from time to time I will include perspectives of other characters._

 _As for Pyrrha's_ _ **and**_ _Jaune's death? I have nothing planned for them. They won't be appearing in the fanfic anymore either._

 _Also, don't forget to review! THANK YOU for your readership!_


	3. Chapter 3: Wasted Time

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own nothing._

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _I think I'm putting the AN on top from here on out. Also hey I don't have much to say this time around, so enjoy and leave a review to make me get a muse again! The outfit described in Ruby's POV is pretty much the one of the covers, in-case you need to visualize it._

 **CHAPTER THREE: WASTING TIME**

 **YANG**

As she leaned her head against the pillow, Yang gazed thoughtfully up at the ceiling. It was a blank canvas, covered with many stickers from Ruby and her childhood. The girl sighed, absentmindedly counting each sticker in her head, wondering where Ruby was as well.

It's been nearly eight months since she lost her arm and had been certain she would be killed by Adam. Yet Ruby had miraculously appeared and somehow saved them all. Her heroism was the only salve Yang could apply to the emotional pain she felt when she thought about her sister. She didn't understand why Ruby—the famed Silver-Eyed Warrior and her sister—had refused to return home. It had been months and months ago that her father and her had gotten a scroll message. She still remembered the feeling of her heart sinking to the pit of her stomach, Ruby sending them a simple **no.** Thankfully this confirmed Ruby hadn't died back in Beacon's explosion, and simply denied returning.

Yang felt the corners of her mouth curve into an unpleasant frown at the thought. Why did her sister not want to come back home? Didn't she want to see her? Didn't she want to see her father or her friends, who had since been revived? The teen sighed in frustration. So many questions to be had, and only the empty, darky sky to look out of the window for an answer.

The blonde heard the door creak open, and she looked up at the soft, concerned face of her father. "Dad." She breathed, her frown melting into a smile.

"You should be inside sleeping at this hour." Taiyang replied, staring at his daughter.

Yang made a short noise of complaint and looked up at her father with pleading eyes. The older Xiao Long didn't move, so neither did the younger. Instead both turned their eyes out to the window, towards the night sky. Yang grimaced, as her thoughts returned to her absent sister.

"Dad, when do you think Ruby will come back?" Yang inquired.

She could practically hear the frown on her father's face, as he responded. "Yang, we've had this conversation before, and each time I've given you the same answer. I don't see the point in repeating everything."

"It's just…it's almost been a year, and we haven't heard anything from her." Yang explained. "We haven't even heard from Qrow and she's been looking for her for months!"

"I know." Taiyang said, an unhappy edge in her voice. "Qrow is looking to bring her back, while still dealing with his alcohol problems as well. You know that."

"Professor Goodwitch says he is taking this as a break of sorts too." The blonde remarked.

"Since when did Glynda know so much about Qrow?" Taiyang raised a questioning brow.

Yang raised her eyes and smiled playfully. "I guess since she figured out that Qrow's better in bed than he looks and is determined as well."

Tayiang looked down at his daughter for a moment but didn't respond any further. Yang raised her eyebrows and changed the subject. "Do you think Ruby is doing alright out there?"

"Ruby will be fine on her own." Taiyang said, pride beaming in his voice. "You forget that it was her who bested the Fall Maiden. A feat we thought was impossible for any non-maiden to do."

"Maybe that swelled up her pride of sense." Yang muttered, her tone tainted with cynicism. "And that's why she refused to come back."

As soon as the words had come out of her mouth, Yang regretted them. She cast her gaze back towards her father, who met her eyes with a disappointing look.

"It's just that—it's been so long! She only told us no and nothing else!" The girl ripped her gaze away and searched frantically for a way to explain the torrent of emotions she felt. "It just feels like…she doesn't care."

She sat up and glanced at Taiyang again, prepared to meet her father's heated gaze and maybe a stern lecture. Instead when her father glanced at her, her expression seemed saddened, as if he had been cut by the girl's resentful remarks. Yang bit her lip and hung her head low, waiting anxiously to her the elder Xiao Long's response.

"Yang." Taiyang began slowly, turning his head again towards the window. "When the sun rises, where do the stars go?"

The younger Xiao Long furrowed her brow, confused by the question. "They…they don't go anywhere. They stay in the same place; you just can't see them."

"It's the same way how people feel about each other." The Hunter explained. "Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there in spirit. Your sister is out there somewhere. She may not be ready to come back yet, but that doesn't mean she has stopped caring about you."

Yang placed her in her hands, stewing in her guilt. "I'm sorry dad. You're right…I didn't mean what I said."

"I know you didn't kiddo, I know."

The two blondes fell silent again, both casting their gazes back into the infinite void of the night outside the window. Yang leaned back down onto her bed once more, her hands resting at her sides. She hoped that her father was right and that her sister was just not ready to come home, for whatever reason. All the girl knew was that she misses her sister terribly and wanted nothing more than to see him again. But her father was wise, and she trusted his words. Her sister would come back to Earth eventually.

Yang only hoped she wouldn't have too much longer to wait.

 **TAIYANG**

After their short conversation, it hadn't taken very long for Yang to feel the seductive lull of sleep. Her eyes eventually fluttered closed, with Taiyang soon listening to the soft sound of her snores. The Signal teacher had pulled the blanket over his daughter, closing the door in a quiet manner and leaving her for the rest of the night herself. Afterward, he stood outside in the balcony, gazing up at the stars once more and contemplating where his daughter had gone, and whether she'd return or not.

Thoughts of ruby brought Taiyang back to the day he turned on the television to watch his children do well in the Vytal Tournament. She wondered doubtfully for a time if the outrageously powerful and constant shifting energies he felt on that same day had been mild delusion brought on by his constant worrying, but as time went on, he grew more and more certain that he'd felt the change in Ruby's energy at the time. Cinder and Ruby's energy had been so massive, he felt it all the way to Patch. Nevertheless, he felt something dark had latched onto it, swallowed his daughter's energy whole and set it afire.

It was a troublesome thought to think of, but as time went on and Ruby didn't emerge back from the 'war, Taiyang wondered if the Silver-Eyed Warrior had meant for it to be this way. After all, she refused to come home when offered transport, even taking out the tracking chip of her scroll device. Worst of the matter, Qrow, an experienced Huntsman, couldn't locate her either.

The Xiao Long felt a frown cross her features and he glanced back towards the room of Yang. It was obvious that Yang felt that 'later' had long since passed, and that she was beginning to grow bitter with her sister's absence. It would only be so long that Taiyang's anecdotes would satisfy the young girl, and then what? She'd be forced to accept one day that Ruby might never come back.

With each day that passed without any sign of the Rose, the day that Yang and Ruby's other friends and family would have to face reality was coming ever closer. It was a day that Taiyang, however steeled his resolve, was dreading. Ruby was Beacon's Savior and a legend in the making, the hole she'd leave in many people's hearts would be huge.

Taiyang was glad to see his daughter grow, don't get him wrong. Ruby had evolved from a shy child, to an awkward weapon's enthusiast, to finally someone Taiyang could be truly proud of. The Xiao Long knew that Ruby would gladly give her life if it meant for Yang to regain her arm, yet the Silver Eyed Warrior's choice of not returning home had opened a chasm in his closed heart too. The disappearance of his first wife and death of his second had been weighting on him ever since, his daughter's disappearance had only made it worse.

As his eyes swept across the night sky one last time, a lone, dark cloud steadily moved in and blocked his view of the moon and stars alike. Taiyang frowned again, a similar dark presence clouding his mind.

 _Ruby, for whatever reason you're out there._ He thought. _I know it's a good one and I wish you luck, my beloved daughter._

With one final sigh and a last glance towards his home, the Xiao Long silently stalked into the shadowy solitude of his bedroom, deciding to rest for now.

 **SALEM**

"What do you mean, 'We're not able to find her?'"

Salem's face withered into a dangerous scowl and her underlings shrank away, remembering what their leader had done to countless others who had displeased her. The Grimm Goddess easily towered over the two young ones, Mercury and Emerald, who had just now relayed the news of their being unable to find the one who had killed Cinder. Nor were they able to locate the new Fall Maiden, which at best meant the process had selected someone at random, and at worst that the Fall Maiden powers had fallen into Ruby's hands.

Unluckily for the terrified teens, lateness was not something that Salem tolerated. It had been exactly 8 months since the tyrant had learned of the tragic news of Cinder's death. A loss that put her plans to a current stop, until she was able to locate the new Fall Maiden. Eight months had passed, each more torturously boring than the last, and now, due to some bad luck, she would be forced to wait a bit longer for her plans to continue. For Salem, such a mistake—however slight—was unacceptable.

The two before her remained quiet, skin as pale as the fear showing in their eyes. It was amusing to Salem, really, but she knew the two of them still had some use. Especially Emerald, as she could become the new vessel for the Maiden powers. For now, though, she wanted results and results would be delivered to her. One way or another. "I will not tolerate errors." Salem announced to the entire room.

"Especially not when I have demonstrated such extraordinary patience on this journey. The two of you—" Her voice commanded attention, Emerald and Mercury standing strict, just like their breathing had been. "—Find the new Fall Maiden within the month, or else…" The threat lingered in the air, but it was rather clear what would happen to them.

As a result of this minor setback, Salem was still in quite a distasteful mood. She shouldn't have to work this hard to make everything work properly for her plans. That's what her minions were for, and they only seemed skilled at displeasing her and then literally losing their heads n her presence. Frowning, the former girl of the tower looked out, past her castle's windows and watched the unnatural sky. The former domain of the God of Darkness made the perfect place for her base of operations, hidden from view and no one knew where it was, sans her lackeys.

Finally, Salem grinned, and the stretched felling in her facial muscles told him it had been a very long time since that expression had crossed her features. It had been a bitter eight months, but her mood brightened when she thought of how Beacon had fallen. How Cinder had successfully killed Ozpin and most of the staff, as well as rally the White Fang against the world once more. The grin ceased, as she remembered the energy she felt. That of the Rose which had Ascended.

"Ascended Warrior." Salem muttered, not having heard of such in many millennia. "To think someone still had the potential to achieve the transformation…It may put a wedge in my plans." She nevertheless drank some wine, much like a classic villain would. It was not required for her to sustain herself, but the thought was amusing in and of itself. "Nevertheless, she doesn't know how to properly utilize it. The two will take care of her, if not, then it's Tyrian's turn."

At best, she only had a few months to wait.

 **RUBY**

Ruby nearly had lost track of time. All the training she was doing, as well as meditation, was starting to slowly blur together. The only reason she was aware that more than half a year, to be exact eight months, had passed, was thanks to the villagers. They had taken care of the young Rose, even celebrating her 16th birthday with her. Of course, she knew they never could replace family, but it would do for now.

Ruby felt selfish, for not telling them anything of what had transpired, and using their generosity to recover. Yet, she was young and truly needed some time for herself, as she didn't think she should have gone through this whole transformation stuff at the young age of 15. Nor the whole fiasco of Beacon's fall, but in the end, it was what it was, and she could take solace in the thought that no one else had to go through this.

In the end, some things had changed in the month's past. Ruby's hair grew out a bit, to the point where she kept it in a folded ponytail. Her eyes had seemingly permanent bags underneath them, caused by much lack of sleep and constant stress. Her attire, the one that had been in tatters, had been replaced by one that could only be described as amazing. A black, purple color scheme, that somehow complemented her red-hair and silver-eyes perfectly. It had purple tights, and plenty of pouches to store most of her stuff in. It was quite refreshing too and, in a way, similar to her old attire, which she missed dearly. Yet it was in tatters and unusable.

A gift she had gained from the village of Tardray. They had seen her clothing in shambles and decided to make her something new to wear. Special clothing enwoven with several kinds of dust. Pyro dust to keep her warm in the cold, cryonic dust to keep her cool in the scorching heat and some other's as well, which she didn't much think about. One thing she did remember, was that the outfit would grow with her body, until the age of 25 they had said. Organic fiver or something.

Yet the biggest present of all, was her getting a mask to compliment the looks. It was a special gift from the Chief of the village. Ruby thought it was likely due to her helping clean up the Grimm from time to time, which was surprisingly easier to do than ever before. She chalked it down to her silver-eyes granting her more of her body's strength or something similar.

Ah right, the mask. Ruby picked it up, inspecting it for a while. It was one like what plague doctors had used back in the middle ages, and it was pure black as well. Two purple feathers adorned it to the left and the hues were purple, perfect for the outfit she was wearing. Yet the looks weren't all she cared about. No, the mask had the special kind of technology only found in Tardray. It would completely suppress her energy and presence to zero, so that no one was able to sense her anymore.

Thankfully it didn't hinder or interference with her abilities. Instead Ruby could enjoy those benefits, even if she still had to get used to not being able to sense herself too. She was certain the chief had forged the mask when she once talked to him about her problems. Not wanting to go back and wanting to remain hidden.

Putting it back onto her face, she felt the familiar sense of coldness wash over her. Her presence completely erased, as if she was a dead man walking. In a sense of irony, she thought it to be funny. Ruby Rose should have died those eight months ago, yet here she is, surviving and thriving.

Yet thinking back on the eight months, Ruby couldn't help, but form a bitter smile. The white-haired form of hers, she had found from the villagers that it was of an old legend. The Silver-Eyed Warriors that could assume something called Ascended Warrior. A form that could grant unfathomable power, yet if she gave in like she did all those months ago, she would lose that which is most valuable to her.

The problem with such is that Ruby didn't know what was the most valuable to her. Was it her family and friends? Perhaps even preserving her sense of self, to not become a mindless monster. Both were equally important to her, but in the end she would be selfish. For now, Ruby hoped she wouldn't have to make the choice just yet.

Of course, she remembered the death of Jaune and Pyrrha. She had resolved to bring the grave news to Mistral, to their parents that their children had died, yet Ruby couldn't face them. Instead she sent two letters, anonymous ones, that would bare the news. The Rose felt like a coward, but she simply didn't have the courage, nor the time to go to Mistral herself.

So many things were going on at once for Ruby and she didn't know where to begin. So many questions and so little answers as well. Why did Cinder cause the fall of Beacon and who did she mean by her? Cinder must have worked for someone, someone that likely was more powerful than the Fall Maiden herself. Then there was the whole matter of the maidens themselves. Ruby learned about them from the chieftain as well, there were four all-together, yet they were hidden from the world. What their purpose was, or where they came from, was unbeknownst to everyone in the village.

The other matter, which was far more personal to Ruby, was knowledge. Knowledge on the Ascended Warriors and the silver-eyed warriors. Where did they come from and why were they legends among legends? Why, of all people, was she one of them? Ruby didn't know anymore, but one thing was for certain, the sooner she found out about this, the sooner she could put to rest her worries.

The third, and final of her worries, the beast within. It seemed like a separate psyche of Ruby, talking to her with the lull of power, nearly having won her over several times in the past eight months. Thankfully Ruby's resolve was more steeled now, not like back then. Back then she had still been shaken up, likely even now she is suffering from a case of PTSD. Yet she had no time for such either, she could go to therapy once this was all over. Yet she knew, the fight with this monster, this darker Rose, was a losing battle, one that she didn't know how much longer she could resist.

Of course, once all of this would be over, she would be able to return to her team and resume her studies at Beacon. Hopeful thinking like this, kept her going. Wishing with hope that she could return to normal as well, yet the deepest parts of her mind and her heart knew that things never could be the same. Not with how she changed.

Was it a change for the better? For the worse?

Ruby wouldn't know the answer for a good time, perhaps not even in her life-time. Yet in some ways, this whole situation opened a plethora of things that she couldn't do before. Explore Remnant to her heart's content and find out more about her own history and that of the world. Sure, she wanted the world to be a better place and to be a huntress to do that. Yet what she desired right after that, was to become an explorer. Someone that people would turn to, when they had questions. Someone that could inspire others to have fun with their lives too.

Glancing at the clock, Ruby noticed she had wasted an entire hour of the morning thinking about her situation. With a grin, she put the remaining supplies into a pouch and decided to get ready. Today was the last day of her 'vacation' in Tardray. She had made some good friends here and would return one day, but she didn't want to involve them in this plot which Ruby had found herself in.

Silently sneaking out of the house, she saw that it was the dawn of the morning. The sun was slowly peaking out, and as such, Ruby decided to follow where the wind lead. It was a thing she had seen and read a lot of, hence why she headed outwards and away from the village. For protection, she had been able to learn how to control her emotions better, only having trouble with anger due to the monster within.

For true protection, she tried salvaging the remnants of Crescent Rose, yet had decided on something different. She wasn't only good at sniping, but at using revolvers as well, her father Taiyang having taught her back when she was 12 and she practiced it ever since. Hence why, with the help of the Tardray's blacksmiths, she had created a pair of double revolvers from Crescent Rose. Unfortunately, she had to change the color of them to match her outfit, as the red of CR was simply too recognizable.

The double revolvers, for now, held the name of Crescent Rose MK-II. It likely would change in the future, as Ruby would decide on a proper name for the 'corpse' of Crescent Rose. Then again, in away it was like a ghost of its former self, much like she was. "Hmm…Phantom Arias. That sounds like a good one." It unironically would fit for later, but enough of that.

She had gotten the habit of talking to herself as well, most of her time being spent in that room, shut-away and meditating. Left to her thoughts and trying to deal with the 'other' Ruby. Which reminded her of the time she had assumed the white-haired form once more, being able to control it for the good part of a minute. It was overwhelming, the power she held at her finger tips. Yet the ever-increasing power led to her blacking out after a good while, another forest being gone in the process.

Thankfully the Tardray villagers were able to keep things tightly and under control. They didn't prefer outside interference and kept to themselves, hence why word didn't get out. Which worked for Ruby, as things would have been bad if any of her friends, or family, found her. For now, though, she bid them adieu in her own way, remembering what they did for her and always would. Of course, she still was thinking about where to head, but one thing was very much certain for Ruby Rose.

She had wasted enough time as is.


	4. Chapter 4: Reminiscence

_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own nothing._

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _The next couple o' chapters will focus on Ruby, and the true beginning of her adventure. At the end of the next chapter, she'll gain a companion who will help her out a bit. Most of the fanfic is already planned out, but things can always change_ _._

 **CHAPTER THREE: REMINISCING**

 **RUBY**

Perhaps, following the wind was a truly bad idea. Ruby thought it would be a good decision, yet it turned out to be the opposite of that. She was completely lost, and it was proving more and more to her, that her sense of direction was beginning to suck. Her teammates had commented on it, back when they had just begun Beacon, that Ruby constantly got lost.

Yet in some ways, it was quite the good thing to have. It led her to Roman and his goons, stopping them and gaining entrance into Beacon two years early.

Yet as she was beginning to treat that particular trait of her positive, the thought of Roman made her frown. The Rose recalled him being swallowed by a Major Gryphon Grimm. The black, feathered being had then been killed by Ruby, by a kick to the snout and into the ship's engines.

While it was indirect, the Silver-Eyed Warrior had caused the death of Roman. Prior to that, she had put down the ice-cream girl—Neopolitan if Ruby recalled right-into a flurry of Gryphons. The chances that the short girl had survived were close to zero, which in turn meant the Rose was responsible for two deaths.

"How bothersome." Ruby muttered, ceasing her thoughts for the time being. Looking around, she saw that she was in a thick forest area. Trees were everywhere, without any end to them. For the next course of action, she decided to try up a tree, to gain a good vantage point.

Yet the voice in her head suggested to become an Ascended Warrior once more, use the unfathomable power and blow the place to kingdom come. It would be easy to do, Ruby having learned how to trigger the transformation of her eyes. Certainly, it would make traversing the terrain much easier-

"No." Ruby didn't snap, instead steeled her resolve once more. The Rose wouldn't rely on this power. She wouldn't fall into temptation and become the very monster she swore to conquer. It was against her ideals and moral grounds, which were her only saving grace.

Perhaps that was a lie. The Silver-Eyed Warrior surely had other saving graces, like her friends and family, yet they didn't cross her thoughts much. Likely due to Ruby not wanting to involve them in this whole mess. Yes, that must be the reason, alongside being so distracted by everything.

Deciding to climb up the tree, Ruby found it incredibly easy to do so. Easier than ever before even. The past eight months had done her well, giving her a good boost in height, up to the 175-centimeter mark. She chalked it up to her Silver-Eyes, the immense bout of power giving her body a much-needed signal to accommodate for it as well.

Yet her height wasn't the only thing that had grown. Her strength, her insane speed, alongside her senses and Aura had taken leaps forward too. What would have taken her a good few minutes to scale the tree at age 15, was now taking here mere seconds. Soon, she was perched on top of the tree's crown, being able to see far and wide from here. Thankfully for her current cause, the silver-eyes were able to see incredibly far. "Forest and forest, nothing more."

Ruby deadpanned, deciding to rest atop of the where she currently was. She wasn't always this snarky, or sassy as Yang would have called it. Yet being left pretty much alone for the better part of nearly a year, and rarely interacting with the villagers, alongside dealing with the voice inside her head…

It didn't leave her in the sanest state of mind. Oh sure, she was still herself, but the other 'Ruby' had been an influence on her. It didn't help that beforehand she had been socially awkward, and now she had a lot of trouble just trying to be normal.

So much for being a normal girl with normal knees.

That got a good chuckle out of her, and before long, she let herself drop down to the ground. Enjoying the fresh breeze of wind passing her, she was able to land with a soft tap on the ground. Her Aura cushioned the fall quite some, but that wasn't all.

Thanks to her fight with the Fall Maiden—even if Ruby didn't like to remember it—Cinder Fall, the Rose was able to gain a few new skills under her hood. Skills that would immensely useful in her adventures, even if she had yet to truly master them. Two of those skills were the ability to not only sense energy, but the life-force of things. The other was something more advanced than Aura Manipulation, called Energy Manipulation.

Perhaps it was by a stroke of luck, but in her fight against Cinder, the both clashed using energy blasts, beams and even were capable of flight. Back when the other 'Ruby' fought the Fall Maiden, she seemed like a natural at it, not even struggling once. She even proved to be superior to Cinder, which in the end spelled the other's demise.

Shuddering slightly, Ruby didn't want to remember the direct death she caused, even if it was outside her control. Putting those thoughts aside for now, the Rose was glad she mastered flying to a good degree. It seemed like the monster within her psyche, she was a natural at this stuff too. She was able to fly without much effort now, but refrained from doing so, as that meant she could be far easier to spot in the sky.

Ruby was reminiscing a bit too much for her tastes, yet it helped her sort her thoughts. Of course, she remembered the other skill, energy manipulation. Deciding to do a little test, she summoned forth a ball of energy in her palm. Direct manipulation of her life-force, able to be used as a projectile. Shooting it towards a tree, the Rose watched in amazement, as it reduced the trunk of the tree into ashes, causing it to fall within seconds. Of course, her tests didn't end here.

No, Ruby was young and had a creative mind, with many possibilities to use. In the immortal words of her Uncle Qrow; _The Imagination is a weapon. Those who don't use it die first._

Nevertheless, moving on, she pulled out the Phantom Arias, having settled with that name, instead of the mouthful that was Crescent Rose Mark-II. Pointing it at another tree trunk, she fired off a couple of shoots with each, becoming wide-eyed at the damage to the trunk.

The bullets seemed to explode on contact, and it only took 4 bullets to shred through the thick tree like it was nothing. Of course, once the bewilderment faded, it gave away to a hearty chuckle. "Ironheart, that sneaky Blacksmith!" To the masked Rose, it seemed that he had given her twin revolver a good amount of force, without her even noticing.

Ironheart, such was the name of the blacksmith which had taken Ruby into his home for the last eight months. She truly was thankful to him, as he never questioned her, and simply went with things as they came. This nonchalant attitude rubbed off on Ruby, making her take things on a more casual pace as well.

Nonetheless, all good things had to come to an end, and she had to bid him adieu too. He had become her adoptive uncle, that was for sure, as to her family by blood didn't matter. What mattered was her bonds with them, people like Yang, Qrow and Taiyang she loved and always would.

Putting back the revolvers into their holsters, she decided to begin walking once more. "I saw something resembling civilization that way. It would take her half a day to travel there by foot, less than an hour if she were to fly there. Yet as aforementioned, she didn't want to be spotted by someone, nor did she want to waste much stamina, nor aura, via flight.

Still, she decided to perform the last of her ideas, before she'd get a move-on again. Forming another ball of energy in her palm, she began concentrating heavily. It took a lot of effort, but soon, the round sphere of it began to take the form of a crude spear.

A few months ago, when she first tried this, forming energy into shape, it left her tired and panting. Now the Silver-Eyed Warrior was able to shape it into a spear within a few seconds and some concentration. Of course, Ruby threw it, as this was another test to run. Unlike the examination, it wielded different results.

The spear caused a big hole to appear in the trunk, as well as went a few trees behind it, before it dissipated. "I see. It doesn't wield the explosive power of the energy ball but has more piercing power." Like an actual spear, which made her lightly cheer.

The reason for her creating such a technique in the first place? All because of Pyrrha. Ruby wanted to honor the legacy of her fellow redhead. A fellow huntress-in-training she couldn't save in-time, and the one who had caused her to snap as she did. To become the Silver-Eyed Warrior, the Ascended Warrior of legends.

Thinking about Pyrrha, made Ruby smile. She wasn't fond of her friend's death, no. She was fond of the memories she made with the other. Sure, it was mostly drowned out by her team and such, but as redheads they had kept together and in some sort of way, Ruby had a developed a slight crush on the other.

Yet such things were thoughts of the past, with Ruby having had to move on. The Rose wasn't one for romantic stuff, she rarely ever dealt with her own feelings, and as such had more interest in weapons and being a huntress.

Of course, she couldn't forget Jaune Arc. Her best friend and someone that helped her become a better leader. They had plenty of studying sessions, and always did stupid stuff together. Yet she remembered being just as dumbstruck as him, frozen in shock as Cinder turned Pyrrha to dust. As if that wasn't enough, Ruby wasn't even quick enough to get to him in time, Cinder having made short work of him.

For someone that had speed as a semblance, she could be ironically slow at times.

"I don't know if I have the strength for this." Ruby muttered, stopping for a moment, as she heard something in the bushes. Her first instinct was to get out the Phantom Arias, yet said thing jumped at her, forcing Ruby to dodge-roll to the side.

Finally, being able to lay her eyes on it, she saw that it was a typical Beowolf. Yet she found it strange, as they usually travelled in packs-Just as that thought occurred, the rest of the pack joined. "—Of course, what else?" The snark over, the Rose took out the Phantom Arias finally, and began counting how many wolves there were.

"One, two…twelve total. Their pack leader is an alpha, I must be rather lucky." Lucky as in having very good chances of bad stuff occurring to her. Of course, she made short work of them, the revolvers each holding eight shots each.

All it took was one bullet, and they exploded in a gorey display of whatever Grimm were made from. The alpha itself seemed to shrug off the remaining four bullets from the pistols. While Ruby could easily swap between ammo cartridges, she instead decided to do put them back in their holsters.

The Rose conjured up two spheres of energy, one in each of her hands. The Alpha, never having seen such a thing before, stared in curiosity, which would be its undoing. The Rose through both at the Grimm and was flabbergasted.

Once the energy orbs-created from the silver-eyes—contacted the Alpha, it simply ceased to exist, as if it was erased from existence. "What the-?" She thought it would bounce off or hurl the Alpha back, but not this. Did this mean what she heard in the legends were true, that the Silver-Eyed Warriors could strike down Grimm with ease?

The Rose thought it was a mere exaggeration, yet here she had killed an Alpha Beowolf like it was nothing. "…That's that, I guess." She had expected more of a fight, to take her mind off things. Yet all this did, was bring more questions.

Just what were Silver-Eyed Warriors truly?

Ruby hoped she could find another Silver-Eyed warrior soon. The legends were wide-spread, so she couldn't have been the only one. Of course, there's the problem of her only hearing the whole Ascension thing even less than the silver-eyes, which were considered legends among legends.

Things were really staring to look bleak for her and it reflected on Ruby. More deadpan than cheery, that's what she was becoming, but she felt justified. "Yeah as if, dad and uncle are going to be pissed if they find out I've learned curse words, like shit, fuck and such."

Worst of all, she was snarky to even herself. At the least her self-esteem had been at a record-high. Thanks to the discovery of these abilities, as well as the monster within making sure that she had pride in herself.

At the least the monster had some good qualities, even if they were heavily outweighed by the bad things. The Ascended Warrior was sure it wasn't the case of a split personality. The other 'Ruby' was still her, not matter how much she tried to separate herself from the other. The beast within was simply all of those dark thoughts, unhandy desires and worse put together.

The Silver-Eyes incident simply made it that much more potent. It seemed as if the eyes reacted to strong emotions. Be it hatred, happiness or even anger, Ruby had to control herself. The eyes mostly relied on anger, which she thankfully rarely got.

Still, on the topic of mental issues, Ruby was quite certain she had PTSD. The Rose had read about it in some of Qrow's books before, recurring nightmares, being hyper-aware of your surroundings and so on. Which in turn explained all the nightmares she had, and the permanent bags underneath her eyes, caused by insomnia.

Ruby was wondering how many more problems would pile up on her plate, and when something positive would happen. The girl didn't know, but she had been walking in the right direction for once, hence why she bumped against something hard.

Her mask surprisingly stayed on, but she still rubbed her forehead. "Ah, what the hell, who placed that tree there-" Silence, as she looked again at what she had bumped into. It was not a tree, but a building. It seemed like those buildings you'd see in old doujins even, called Dojos or whatever.

Of course, doing what an insane individual would do, she immediately hid behind a tree. Looking above, she saw it was a Sakura tree, those pink petals being far too familiar to not be recognized by the Rose. Thankfully her presence and energy were all, but erased from anyone, even herself. Still, from within the shadows, she blended in, peaking around the trunk and looking at the individual.

What Ruby saw was hard to describe. Her breath had been caught, as she saw a fox Faunus tend to the garden outside the dojo. Now that Ruby observed better, the other looked like a Miko, so perhaps this was less of a dojo and more of a shrine?

The Miko in question seemed to have long and flowing pink hair, with sky-blue eyes that matched her appearance. The Faunus trait in question seemed to be two bunny ears on top of her head. Ruby was glad she had always been soundless at sneaking around, as she would have otherwise been noticed.

Of course, that wasn't reason to rest yet, as the Miko seemed to stare into her direction, squinting her eyes. It seemed as if she had seen a phantom of sorts, but finally paid it no mind. In the end the unknown shrine maiden retreated into her shrine and left Ruby to her own crevices.

Back to Ruby, the Rose slid down to the base of the tree, finally breathing again. She was ironically starting to act like a ghost, a phantom, much like she had named her weapons. In a way she felt like a coward, but in other ways, when she saw the other, her breath had hitched for some reason. Perhaps it was due to being in civilization of sorts again? Looking around, she saw that it was a village of sorts, all kinds of buildings around.

The shrine itself seemed to be rather on the edge of it all. Was the pink Faunus living by herself perhaps? The Silver-Eyed Warrior didn't know, but one thing was for sure, there was something special about the other. Something special enough that it caught Ruby's eyes of all things.

Deciding to silently fly up the tree, the Rose made herself comfortable, deciding to take a nap here for now. The day was still young, and she wanted to get in some much needed nap-time. Yet her thoughts kept circling back to the girl she just had…stalked, for a better lack of description. God, she felt like a weirdo again, but the situation couldn't get any worse than it already had been, right?

One thing was for certain though. Once Ruby woke up, she'd go speak to the maiden and find out where she was. Nevertheless, she fell asleep rather quickly, recovering and reminiscing.


End file.
